Deadly Kisses

Seventeen





Bee looked into her rear view mirror. A hearse had been following us since we left the concert. I thought we lost them when Bee drove onto Route 93. Now we were on Route 101, in the country, and they were still following. Jaleb’s old pickup didn’t have the oomph to lose them.

“Ad.” Bee nudged me.

I moaned and looked up from the glow of my phone. The dense fog rolling out of the forest forced her to ease off the gas. The hearse behind us did the same, matching her pace. Bee kept glancing up and looking into her rear view mirror.

“Ad, we’re being followed by a hearse.” She gripped the steering wheel with both hands.

“I know. Pay no attention to them and try not to wake your brother.” I really needed to study this manual before I made things worse with my lack of knowledge. My history teacher would be stunned that I found a subject of interest. I had only needed the right motivation.

Bee continued to focus on the road. “What if I get into an accident? I don’t need to kill an already dead Grim Reaper and two humans marked for death.” She wiped sweat from her forehead and opened the window a crack. The crisp country air was refreshing after the stuffy smell at the club. It started to mist. Bee turned on the wipers and I listened to their rhythmic motion against the glass.

“Just keep driving, Bee. We need to take care of Jaleb. The death fever will only get worse the closer we get to Halloween.” I glanced at Jaleb who was sleeping.

“Are they still there?” She squinted into her mirror, but the fog reduced her sight. Not that there were many cars on the road at this hour of the night. Country living for you. The streets were dark and fields empty of animals that were tucked into barns. “Is it the Reapers who marked my brother?”

“It’s the Ancient Grim Reapers. They want to stay close to you and your brother. Your energy is addictive.”

“But why?

“We’re dead and cold. Being able to walk the earth and be warm would be like feeling alive again. We stay Grim Reapers because it is the closest thing to being mortal.” I never wanted to die. I wanted to do just that, walk the earth.

“Is that why you stayed? I don’t like you being a Grim Reaper. You deserve better. Sabrina would tell you the same thing. If you ascend you could be with her again, right?” Bee whispered, looking at me with pure pity, and I hated it. I was the one to choose this and I didn’t want her to feel bad for me.

“I don’t know anything about Heaven, but I don’t deserve to be there. My regret is holding me firm in this plane. Please don’t try to convince me to leave. I got over having to reap souls. It’s not as bad as it looks. I help people cross over. I’m good at it and I have purpose.” I stared at my phone to put distance between us. I knew she waited for me to look up so she could continue the conversation. I gave in when my eyes blurred from reading.

“I know you, Aiden. Something else is keeping you here. You love my cousin and I know you want to see her again.” She picked up my hand. It tingled and thawed with her touch.

“I can’t face Sabrina, but you’re right, something else is keeping me here.” I let out a deep exhale. The more I was around her it was as if we were still in middle school, hanging out, and playing truth or dare. With her, everything felt right in the world, even being dead.

“You’ll never change. Why do I always have to beg you to tell me things? I’ve missed you, and we don’t have much more time together.”

I couldn’t give her a fun night, but I wanted to make her happy. “It’s because of you, Bee that I’m staying here. Do you know that after I became a Grim Reaper, I came to see you? I walked in on your mom telling you how Sabrina and I had died.”

I heard her sharp intake of air. She lifted my hand and brought them to her lips in a quick kiss. “I didn’t know that. I never saw you. The months following the accident were a blur. I knew Sabrina was going to die. I spent the week doing every little thing she wanted and we stayed up all night talking. I grieved in a different way. But you. I didn’t know it was your time and I was mad at myself. I should have been paying closer attention to the people around me.”

Bee shouldn’t have to bear that burden. It wasn’t normal, and I needed to know why she could see Death. “I don’t blame you, but I think we need to dig into your family history.” Ugh, that word again. If only I could Google Bee’s name and have a full comprehensive history pop up.

Her forehead creased. “What does my family history have to do with anything?”

“We need to find out if anyone else in your family could heal. I think there was a deal made because something isn’t right with your family. But who made the deal and when?”

“I really did heal you then? Maybe we should investigate our land. I was there when my grandmother died. Even on medication, she was aware of everything until the very end. She insisted something was wrong with our property.”

“There’s got to be a way to stop it. I won’t let your family be hurt anymore. I promise.” I wouldn’t allow anything to harm them. I would do anything to protect her and the twins.

“I know you’ll do everything you can.” She squeezed my hand and then we interlocked our fingers together. It was a dream come true to be with her like this.

“Where are we?” I asked. Street signs were hidden by fog and darkness. I knew just the thing to help Jaleb. Marlin’s tonics would give him the strength he needed.

“Almost in Peterborough. Why?”

“Perfect. You’re going to make a stop to get something for your brother. After the red light, there is an old barn; take a right and go down the street. Stop at the house with the blue light at the end of the driveway.”

“Are you making me do something illegal, because I won’t do it. I need my record spotless if I’m going to get into Tufts.”

“You can’t evade death, Bee, and yes I’m a Grim Reaper, but that doesn’t mean I do anything bad.”

“What are we getting?” she asked. I didn’t want to have to explain Marlin. She was weird if you didn’t know about her psychic abilities.

“Turn there.” I pointed.

Bee turned down the lonely dirt road.

She stopped the truck in the driveway. White light from the TV came through the window, and brown tasseled hair hung over the couch.

Bee said, “If I’m picking up pot, I’m going to kill you.”

I laughed and tucked a chunk of her hair over her ear. “Sweet Bee, I wouldn’t do anything you don’t want me to do except for two things: kiss you and reap your soul. Those are not negotiable. Now knock on the door and tell Marlin that you are a Bee like the insect and give her a twenty. You have a twenty, right?”

She opened the truck door and slammed it shut. I followed her. The wooden stairs creaked, and Bee banged on the door. I wondered if she knew about Jaleb’s past.

The door opened. Marlin wore skinny jeans with a low cut top and black boots. Her green eyes stared at Bee. She smoothed down her hair.

“Hi . . . um . . . ah, I’m Bee, like the insect.”

Marlin laughed and flung her head back making her silver hoop earrings swing. She was crazy as ever.

“Was that the wrong code word?” Bee asked, peering inside to the thick white smoke that clung to the air.

Marlin took out a cigarette from behind her ear and lit it. White smoke went into her mouth then out into my face. Bee coughed. The cigarette dangled in Marlin’s fingertips as she leaned on the doorjamb. “So you’re Aiden Grant’s girl. Well you’re a sweet little thing, I can see why he likes you. Hold on, I’ll get you the goods. It’s my standard stuff.”

“You know he’s dead, right?”

“I might have heard that, but things are never what they seem. The spirits are always restless around Halloween.” She fumbled through a drawer across the room. White ash fell to the ground. “I’m glad he found real love before he died though. I always pegged him for the family type kid. Groupies were too wild for him.” She handed Bee a vial.

“I’m not Aiden’s girl.” Bee handed her a twenty.

My heart broke hearing the words spill from her mouth, but I understood that I was only here temporarily. In a couple of days this would seem like a dream. Bee would go on with her life, or go to Heaven and forget I ever existed.

“Darling, you are whether you realize it or not.” She leaned into Bee’s ear and whispered. “He’ll hear, all spirits do.” She winked and slammed the door in Bee’s face.

We stood there staring at the red, paint-chipped door. The light on the front porch went out and that was our cue to leave. When we went back into the truck, I felt her anger override all emotion. She threw the vial at me.

“What did she whisper to you?” I said.

“Nothing! It wasn’t true anyways. End of discussion.” Bee’s face was pinched.

“She’s always right. Tell me it could help.” She wouldn’t and I didn’t want to push her to tell me. Bee, would tell me if she wanted me to know, or if it could help us.

“She’s one hell of a girl, very classy.” Bee started the car and backed out of the driveway. Dirt spit up.

“Bee, just trust me. This will help Jaleb. I know she seems odd, but Marlin is harmless.” I tried holding her hand, but she pulled away.

“My stomach, Bee.” Jaleb said. His hand grasped her elbow.

“Sorry I woke you, Jaleb. How are you feeling back there?”

Her gaze sent my stomach popping like fizz rocks and I itched to touch her. My soul demanded the contact, but I didn’t listen.

“I hurt all over. I think they are somehow draining me. I can feel them in me cold, and evil. I don’t like it. I’m scared.” Jaleb moaned.

“Me too, Jaleb, and I’m even more scared for the twins. What if they’re the next target?”

“Drop me off at the town historical society. I need to research your family,” I said. I couldn’t let innocent kids be targets of the Ancient’s vile plan. The twins had strong energy in their auras like Jaleb.

“You’re so elusive.”

“About researching your family? That’s not elusive, it’s practical.” It was my nature to not volunteer information, and it was hard to change that about myself.

She leaned over and whispered, “You can know everything about me and my family, but gosh darn it if you tell me anything about you and your new lifestyle of being an Angel of Death without me prying it out of you. I had to yank off your hood just to see your face. I’m so mad right now I could combust to fire.”

Bee had never been mad at me. My eyes widened and my emotions went blank. I centered on them and hid them from her, and she shrank away from me. I picked that up quick. I wondered how much more I could do using my scythe’s power.

“Are you blocking me? That’s never happened.”

I shrugged. “I just read the whole section on using the scythe to a Grim Reaper’s advantage. It can do way more than I expected.”

“And you’re not going to answer my questions?”

“After.” I didn’t want to say anything that would get her more upset. I wanted the facts first. I looked into the mirror. The Ancients were still there. I had to get them away from Bee’s family, and I needed answers. I put up a full block.

“Fine, go hide in your cave by yourself for eternity, see if I care. Just be warned, I’m not staying with you after you reap me, even if you beg me to. I’m going to be with Sabrina.” She gripped the steering wheel.

“I don’t want you to stay with me. You’ll go with Sabrina because it’s better in Heaven.” Her words tore a hole in my heart. “Just stop the car. I’ll walk.” I couldn’t stand by and do nothing.

“What about the creeps following us?”

I looked back. They wouldn’t be following her once I made a deal with them. “According to Reina, once they mark someone, they can follow but not touch until Halloween. Jaleb is safe, but they still might draw life from him. Give him some liquid from the vial every two hours or so.”

“I’m giving him nothing until you tell me what it is. It could be some super-secret elixir that will kill him. That girl was a weirdo.”

“Weird yes, but I knew her well. She makes herbal tonics. Everything in it is natural.”

“Jaleb won’t touch this without a more detailed explanation. I’m sure you of all people will understand why.” She knew of Jaleb’s past drug problem.

“Stop the car,” I said in a hushed but frantic tone.

Bee braked and looked back to see if the hearse was going to stop.

“I’m sorry, Bee, I don’t want to hurt you, but no matter what I do I’ll hurt you. It’s killing me inside. I’ll meet you at your house, but I need to go. Trust me to fix this for your family. Give Jaleb the tonic because it will work.”

She reached out to stop me, but I was already out the door. I felt her frantic need for me, to be close to me, but I couldn’t give myself to her—not now, not ever.

“Go right home and stay inside until I get there. The Ancients can’t enter your house because I’m your Grim Reaper.” I pointed to my chest and cracked a smile, but it faded as fast as it came. “I can’t promise you any more time. I wish there was a way to divert death, but taking a gamble is not worth jeopardizing your soul. Go before they catch up to you. I need to do some research. And you know how I hate history.”

I closed the door and waited for the hearse. The Ancient Grim Reapers wouldn’t be following Bee home. The cold in me grew the further away Bee drove. Trees engulfed her truck as she disappeared around the corner. I stood awaiting my fate.